This is why getting real about sales will make you more effective
Hands up all those in sales?
It’s astonishing when I ask audiences this question to see how few raise their hands! Unless it is a sales team!
We are ALL in sales of some sort!
Whether it is ‘selling’ a product or an idea or having a conversation or convincing someone else to do what we want them to do – it’s all selling!
As a physiotherapist, I used to have to sell the idea to people that although I was going to hurt them – it was for their own good! I would have to sell them my trustworthiness, my competence, my caring and instill them with confidence in themselves and me.
Teachers are in sales – just like physios and speakers! I can’t think of a profession or job where we have no component of sales in it. Even if you work in a solitary manner – there are usually other people who depend on what you do – you are ‘selling’ competence as they need to trust your capacity to deliver.
Anyone who interacts with anyone else in some way sells something! If you are trying to influence anyone or thing – you are in sales!
Recently, there is research into sales trying to find reasons for the success of consistently high performing professionals.
There isn’t too much rocket science there though!
When we talk about sales, we are talking about selling products, ideas, concepts, policies, rules, yourself, treatments, expertise (in other words, anything) to other people.
Sales is a label for a complex matrix of connection, communication, trust, competence, expertise, non verbal skills, mindsets, capacity to read people, empathy, engagement, listening, language, perceptions, epigenetics, neuroscience and a whole lot more!
But if we Get Real About Sales – there is not a lot of new material to change things. It’s about doing what we already know to do – with more elegance, authenticity and integrity. And developing in areas where we can grow and become the best we can be.
So how do we teach those?
I came up with a Mnemonic!
That is just a small sample of what we can cover when we talk about sales and how to improve them in every area of life. How to have more influence and joy-fully live in whatever you are doing.
Amanda Gore
As a communications and performance expert, Amanda believes success in business is always about feelings. The way we feel about a product, organization or person influences how we behave and informs our decisions about how we spend, or how we conduct business. Facts, targets and figures don’t change behaviours - touching hearts, feelings and stories do.
Hi Amanda, From Ted Mulligan. In 1993, the company I worked for, organised for you to speak to our sales team at Coolum – Hyatt Resort at that time. I have recently (again) been connecting with some of your ‘doings’ – website, YouTube etc.
I went ‘looking’ for your Ten Commandments… which I remembered from your 1993 talk. I recall your reference to the “three magic words for women & for men as you walked out to catch your return travel after your talk. I’ve since been told by women that ‘their’ three magic words are – ‘I appreciate you’ (not I love you), but I guess ‘You’re so strong’ ( ! ) , is still accommodated by the men.
Thanks for your presentation at that time and for what I have seen (snipits) since then. I like your mneumonic GET SALES list of ‘DOs’, many of which (I believe) I had during my sales career (pharmaceuticals) and was happy to pass on.
There was, I recall a fellow from a marketing company in Melbourne who was asked encapsulate the Sales Call musts for one of the teams I was in. I can’t remember the presenter’s name nor his company’s name. I remember clearly two things – our company gave him a very limited amount of time (just after lunch !) and that he did an excellent job. He presented a pattern to follow in the sales call. This included: BFO (blinding flash of the obvious), The what, The How, BFC (big fat claim), substantiation (of the BFC) and a Question for Commitment (ask for the business). Not all previous sales call suggestions (for me) had encapsulated the process quite so well. As for me… I fitted and did well in the Ph’l sales arena – sales, $s, trips and mentoring. Thanks for your valued contribution. Best, Ted.
Sorry ! Mnemonic!